Ahhh, live music… Is there anything quite like what live music can do for an event? Everything seems a bit more now, and present. The versatile Nick DiGennaro, of Nick DiGennaro Music, agreed to answer our spotlight questions, so read on to see what this guitarist and general Lover of Music has to say!
How long have you been in the wedding industry?
My focus shifted to solo guitar, jazz and classical, about twenty five years ago as well as with a very acoustic sounding duo and jazz trio.
What are your favorite wedding trends right now?
My weddings this year seem to favor classical music and pieces that have withstood the test of time rather than music or a song that happens to be in favor right now. In that first group, I would put the Beatles music, some of which is fifty years old! I hope this is the trend. I wouldn’t want couples years from now watching the video and wincing at their song selection!
What do you love most about music for weddings, specifically?
I love to play classical and Renaissance music when the guests are arriving for the ceremony. Along with the décor, it creates the atmosphere of the beautiful and significant event that it is and I believe contributes to the lasting impact felt by bride and groom as well as the guests.
What makes you unique from other musicians?
When an inquiry comes to me about a wedding, most of the time the bride is asking only about the ceremony. The fact that I also play solo jazz guitar (and duo and trio) does tend to make what I do unique. I explain for a small additional fee, I will go on and play the cocktail hour with jazz guitar which has a very different sound and feel so the music evolves along with the day. Then, the band or DJ can kick in when the bride and groom are announced. I have many brides choosing this when this option is presented to them.
Tell us about your most memorable and fun event/client experience.
Wow, that’s a tough one so I might go with the wedding we just did this past Saturday! Mike McCandless with Soundmasters DJ referred me to his bride’s father so the inquiry was about guitar and strings but he settled on solo guitar. He was handling everything even when I suggested that I could talk to the bride. Well, feeling that the violin was her request, I got him to add it and it sounded fantastic playing at the Bella Donna Chapel in McKinney with such wonderful acoustics. The guests were so complimentary. We played the cocktail hour with the jazz trio at Stonebridge Country Club so being able to do the ceremony with the violin and the jazz trio for cocktails before Mike McCandless took over was just about as good as it gets!
Tell us one thing we might not otherwise know about your company.
I often see musicians (and DJ’s) that seem not to be able to recognize what the function is of their piece of the event-puzzle. I keep my focus on the client. I like the little byline that I came up with: “Our music features you!”
Do you have any special discounts or offers for Nick DiGennaro Music at this time that our blog readers should know about?
I can’t do much if it’s just solo guitar for the hour but for the Jazz Trio during the cocktail hour, I will take off 10% if this blog is mentioned.
Thank you very much to Nick! Follow this link to his blog, and listen to his samples online. You will not regret it!